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Original poster

Could not pee in labour

26 replies

alliemarg · 02/02/2016 13:40

I'm pregnant with my second child, due in about 10 weeks. I had a fairly awkward first birth, not helped by the fact I could not pee and ended up with a catheter. It hurt like hell being fitted (on the second attempt - the midwife could not do it right first time - which also hurt a lot!). It's not done my pelvic floor a whole lot of good either.

I wondered if anybody else had this problem during labour? There was just no sensation to need to pee. I also freaked out trying as I could not take the gas and air with me to the loo and the contractions were unbearable without. Any thoughts/tips appreciated!

OP posts:
Junosmum · 02/02/2016 14:28

Oh, is that what has caused my incontinence! I had 2 catheters (so no tips I'm afraid) my pelvic floor is shot to hell. Dr told me it was because of where baby was, not much I could have done about it.

NotJanine · 02/02/2016 14:35

I couldn't wee either with my first. Had a catheter to empty my bladder but she put it in during a contraction and I didn't even notice.
Second labour I didn't need to go anyhow so it wasn't a problem

NotJanine · 02/02/2016 14:37

I think pelvic floor problems are likely the result of pregnancy and giving birth not having a catheter briefly

Jellybean100 · 02/02/2016 14:47

Like Janine said, pelvic floor problems are probably due to pregnancy and birth. You would have ended up with much bigger problems if the catheter didn't go in and your bladder became hugely distended. It's quite common in labour when the babies head is very low to not feel the need to pee and/or to not be able to go

Highlove · 02/02/2016 14:54

I had this. I'd forgotten about till I saw your thread, actually. Was terrified about the catheter going in as had a truly dreadful, excruciating experience of it being done in the past. But I had gas and air when it went in during labour and it was fine. Perhaps I was lucky though?

I'm not sure a catheter would damage your own pelvic floor, would it? Any more than pregnancy and labour already have? My first experience of having one put in badly/roughly (prior to ever getting pregnant, during a IVF egg collection in fact) certainly didn't cause any pelvic floor problems.

All that said, if it's worrying you then talk to your midwife about how it could be managed differently/better this time round?

Highlove · 02/02/2016 14:55

I don't know why that says own pelvic floor. Wouldn't damage done else's, would it? Grin

monkeyfacegrace · 02/02/2016 14:57

I was the opposite. Couldn't stop peeing during crowning. Poor DD was born covered in wee Grin

emmac3616 · 02/02/2016 16:41

Me too - just couldn't go in the water bath and then it was too late - had 2 in / out catheters but honestly that was the least painful think of the labour (!) and didnt bother me... have had no incontinence problems since, but I do do my pelvic floor exercises OBSESSIVELY - have made a note on my birth plan this time to get my midwife and my husband to remind me to pee early on / continuously!!!

SummerHouse · 02/02/2016 16:46

I could not wee for toffee. Labour went on for HOURS. Then after a shift change a midwife kept apologising saying she thought I had emptied my bladder. I did not understand all this till I found that pushing on a full bladder will slow down the process. Third degree tear later I would fully recommend that you have the catheter.

5madthings · 02/02/2016 16:49

I had this in one of my labour's,knew I needed to wee but just couldn't. Midwife used catheter and even she was amazed how much pee there was! Oddly enough babu moved down and was born quickly afterwards.

It's not been an issue with my other four births. In one labour the contractions were so intense and I couldn't move to get to the toilet and so midwife held a disposable bed pan thing for me to wee in. I just remember wailing that I needed a wee but couldn't move. But midwives have seen it all before.

Due Dc6 and I agree with poster who says to get midwife and birth partner to remind you to try and wee early on.

I don't think.i catheter will have caused continence issues, it's more likely preg,birth etc but it can be helped with physio, pelvic floor exercises etc so get a referral from gp or midwife.

VagueIdeas · 02/02/2016 16:51

I remember not ring able to wee during or after labour.

Catheter sorted me out. And they definitely don't damage your pelvic floor - it's just a thin tube up the urethra. Not pleasant, but not harmful.

Akire · 02/02/2016 16:52

Not had a baby but had lots of catheters fitted and self done. They really shoul t hurt. Make sure they use gel when inserting as sometimes they don't! If you are having contractions having one should Bearly be noticeable especially if have lug on gas and air same time

KittyandTeal · 02/02/2016 16:59

I had the same problem. No urge to pee at all. Dd got stuck and the first thing the consultant did was tell me to wee, on the table there he didn't care, but I just couldn't. He put a catheter in and loads came out. Didn't solve the problem though.

My pelvic floor is fine now, don't think the catheter did the damage

kamillaw · 02/02/2016 18:38

I had one in my first labour as I constantly needed to pee but they didn't want me moving about to the loo due to monitoring. 2nd labour didn't have one. I'm hoping not to need one this time either as I had the worst bladder infection after it came out!

Eminybob · 02/02/2016 18:42

Yeah I had one. I couldn't wee so had to get out of the birthing pool for a catheter, while I was out my contractions stopped so I had to go on an oxytocin drip so never got to get back in the pool Sad

CuppaSarah · 02/02/2016 19:06

I couldn't wee during my first labour. Second I managed to get up and go to the toilet to wee throughout. And that's despite being hooked up to a drip and monitors etc.

Hopelass · 02/02/2016 19:16

Watching with interest I had this problem and had totally forgotten about it (we are ttc no. 2). I remember now being sat on the loo in the en suite in the delivery room trying to get DP to stretch the gas and air to me! I also had to be cathetered twice. Painful but I vividly remember the relief from the pressure! Good luck op, hope this time is different for you Thanks

kimlo · 02/02/2016 19:23

I had the opposite problem, I felt like I needed to wee all the way through. The midwife said if I said if I said I needed a wee again she would catheterise me, and she did then procedded to say "see I told you you didnt need a wee".

Focusfocus · 02/02/2016 20:01

In couldn't pee just before birth and the first one after birth also took a lot f time but was okay after that

Original poster
alliemarg · 02/02/2016 20:07

Thanks everyone, sounds like it is really common. Really interesting to hear it should not really hurt - I wonder if I was particularly sensitive to intrusion as they also had three attempts at the fetal scalp test as she was showing signs of distress and each one hurt A LOT. In comparison forceps and pushing were a (relative) breeze. This was on constant gas and air and Meptid as well!

OP posts:
SparklyTinselTits · 02/02/2016 20:14

I had no urge to pee even though the midwife bitch kept telling me I had a very full bladder and I needed to let it go.
I was kind of scared to "let it go", because I felt like if I let my muscles relax, my baby would fall out Hmm She then got all nasty and threatening with her tone and said "if you don't let go of your bladder, I am inserting a catheter"....at which point I told her to fuck right off and just pissed. Right there. On her arm Blush

Jibberjabberjooo · 02/02/2016 20:35

I had no urge either. In fact the reason my placenta wouldn't deliver was because my bladder was so full and I had to be catheterised.

Pregnancy ruins your pelvic floor, a catheter won't.

bigchangesabound · 02/02/2016 20:35

I struggled to wee during labour too (your thread reminded me about it). They brought a commode in for me to use so was able to do it in the room and could continue with the gas and air. Wasn't able to wee though! I ended up being catheterised but only to empty my bladder and then it was taken out again. I think it was done during a contraction so had other pains to distract from that pain, though possibly felt a little 'nip'.

christinarossetti · 02/02/2016 20:48

The midwife suggested a catheter during my second labour, and I just remembering seeing the pot filling up with wee and realising that my full bladder had been stopping the baby coming out!

I couldn't wee during my next labour, despite knowing that I needed to, and asked the midwife to use a catheter.

Neither hurt at all, and I've had no lasting effects.

whatsoever · 03/02/2016 00:23

I couldn't wee during labour either. I tried and failed 3 times and it was a long labour so I was catheterised 3 times. I had to be basically carried to the bathroom to try as I couldn't weight bear on my legs through much of my labour due to SPD & meralgia parasthetica & like you OP, the lack of gas & air on the loo was excruciating! The only times I really made stereotypical labouring woman howling noises were whilst separated from my precious gas & air whilst failing to wee!

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